Almost Human
by Paige Notes
Summary: cyborg009Xover Rodney has a secret that even he doesn't know about. When that secret is forced out into the open, will Rodney be accepted or shunned, and how will he deal with the aftermath? Rodneywhump.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hey everyone! This is just an idea I had floating around in my head after I watched an 2001 remake of the anime cyborg 009. I might redo this later, but for now let me know what you think. Oh, and if anyone is reading my fic Searching for Eden, I am currently working on the next chapter. It should be up soon. Anyway...on with the fic. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own stargate: atlantis or cyborg 009_

* * *

_

_Pain._

_Fire, coursing through his body._

_That was all he could feel. All other senses were consumed. The fire roared, blocking out all other sounds and filled his vision._

_Slowly, the inferno receded. Enough that he could hear voices as ghostly whispers and see shadowy forms hovering above him._

"…_experiment zero zero nine's vitals are stabilizing. There are no apparent adverse affects so far. Replacement of biological features seems to be successful."_

"_Good. Begin phase two."_

"_Yes, sir. Beginning systems calibration now." _

"_Aaaahhhh!" _

_Pain coursed through his body once again, causing him to arch up against the restraints. Liquid fire ran through his veins, burning worse than the previous time. This time the inferno didn't subside. It raged higher and higher, racking screams from his tortured throats until it was too raw to make anymore sounds. _

_Finally, just as he could take no more, sweet oblivion swallowed experiment 009.

* * *

_

In the residence quarters of Atlantis, one of the city's earth-born residents woke up in a cold sweat.

Rodney wiped the back of his hand against his brow, glancing at the clock.

3:42 am

'_Ugh.' _Rodney groaned as he dragged himself out of bed. _'Guess it's yet another three hour night.' _This was the fourth night in a row that he had woken up from the dream. He started getting ready for work, knowing that it would be useless to try and go back to sleep.

It was strange, he mused as he showered. He hadn't experienced the dream since before he arrived in Atlantis and now it was surfacing again after such a long time. He didn't understand why it was coming back. Nothing had changed. Everything was normal, well as normal as life could be in another galaxy.

So why now?

Rodney pushed the thought out of his mind and headed to the mess for some coffee before heading to work in the labs, but a sense of foreboding remained with him as he walked through the halls.

Stumbling a little due to his growing fatigue, Rodney entered the empty lab and pulled out the device he had been examining the day before. He wasn't quite sure what it was. Along with Radek, he had spent half the day scouring the ancient database for anything that would give them a hint as to what the device did. It was a small, silvery, and vaguely gun shaped device that Rodney could hold in his hand. It had five removable crystals set in the flat top, but that was the only physical feature on it. To make matters even more frustrating, the device didn't react to anyone with the gene. Even Sheppard couldn't get it to respond. Rodney speculated that it needed some sort of sequence of the crystals combined with the gene to work.

Now, if only he could figure out the right combination.

There were one hundred and twenty combinations that the crystals could be arranged in. Not bad odds at all. It just took time to try each one. Rodney was currently resuming where he left off the night before. Combination number fifty seven. _'Well,' _he thought '_here goes nothing.' _He placed the last crystal in its slot and, after checking to make sure his scanners were hooked up to his computer and datapad , he willed the device to work.

A blue glow emanated from the crystals.

"Yes!" He did a mental dance of joy before turning his attention back to the device, which was now emitting a high pitched whine. "What the…." He looked over at the readings that were appearing on his computer. It seemed to be building up large amounts of electromagnetic energy.

It only took a few seconds for Rodney to realize what this meant. _'Aw, shit.' _He immediately dropped the device on the lab desk and ran to shut down the scanners and computer.

There wasn't any time.

As soon as he made it to the first scanner, the device released its stored energy. Emitting a highly concentrated EMP.

Rodney could only watch as every electronic device in the room, and probably the surrounding level, was shut off. '_Wonderful, now I'm gonna have to run diagnostic on every—' _His thought was cut short when a strange sensation washed over him. A small electrical shock ran through his body, followed by a sharp pain.

He blacked out before he even realized he had hit the floor.

* * *

Carson Beckett grumbled as he made his way from the infirmary to the conference room. 

If being woken up in the wee hours of the morning by the nurse on night shift, to find out that all the equipment in the infirmary had gone haywire before shutting down completely.

The sight that met him when he walked into the room would be amusing in any other situation. All of Atlantis's senior staff were dressed in varying forms of sleep attire and were at different levels of awareness. Carson wanted to comment on the humor of it, but he himself was dressed in only flannel pajama bottoms.

"What the bloody hell is going on?"

Surprisingly, Radek was the one who answered. It was then that the doctor noticed that Rodney was missing from the meeting.

"We're not quite sure." Radek gestured to his data pad. "I just got my tablet working again but from readings, I think we are dealing with some sort of EM pulse. It would have to be strong, though, to affect all of Atlantis like this. Rodney needs to see these readings."

"Where is Rodney anyway?" John asked, looking to everyone in the room. "Has anyone seen him?"

Elizabeth frowned. "We'll need to find him, but first we need deal with the situation. Radek, can you find where the pulse came from?"

The Czech nodded and headed into the hallway, everyone following as he led the way toward the science labs. "_Ano. _It seems to have originated in the main lab."

John took the lead as they came to the lab. Almost hesitantly, he willed the door open. He was unprepared for the sight that met him.

"Rodney!"

Lying on the floor unconscious was the astrophysicist.

At his yell, the rest of the group crowded into the room, Carson immediately kneeling next to the unconscious scientist. He looked up after checking Rodney's vitals. "He's stable, but I want to know how he got like this." He tapped his radio. "Medical team to the main lab. I need a gurney down here."

Radek shrugged from his place at the lab table where he was looking over the readings Rodney had taken before the equipment failed. "It is just as I thought, an EMP. We'll have everything restored soon, but that doesn't explain what happened to Rodney. EMP's are harmless to humans."

"Alright, let's get Rodney to the infirmary. Radek, get the science team started on getting everything back up and running." Elizabeth ordered.

Everyone nodded their agreement. As Radek ran off to brief his team, Ronon placed Rodney on the gurney that had just arrived.

Carson made sure he was situated before pushing the stretcher out the door while addressing the medics. "Alright we need to run a full slew of test, starting with…" He voice faded out as the medical team disappeared down the corridor.

John and Teyla shared a worried look before following Ronon and Elizabeth out of the lab.

* * *

_Bright lights assaulted his eyes as he slowly regained consciousness. He could only see the dim outline of equipment._

"He seems to be waking up."

'_What's going on… where am I?'_

_There were wires attached to him, he could feel them. One going into the back of his hand, one at the crook of his arm, along with other wires attached to his chest._

_A dark shadow swam above him._

"Rodney, are ye with us lad?"

_The shadow moved closer and was joined be others. _

_Where was he? Why was he here? Then the memories came back, memories of fire running through him. _

_The pain! He was on the table!_

"His heart rate is escalating; we need to calm him down."

_He knew he had to act quickly, to catch them off guard._

Before anyone standing around the bed could react, Rodney shot up and knocked Beckett to the ground. Ripping out the iv's, he attempted to jump out of the bed he was in, only to be stopped by Ronon and John.

The Satedan cursed to himself as he and Sheppard held the half-awake, struggling physicist down. McKay was fighting like a mad man. By this point, Carson had picked himself up from the floor, holding one hand over his nose. He approached Rodney slowly, his other hand held in a non-threatening gesture. "Rodney, lad, you need to calm down."

Wide, frightened, and sleep hazed, blued eyes took in everyone and everything in the room. "Who are you?"

Stunned silence met the inquiry. No one knew how to take the seemingly innocuous question. They didn't get the chance to answer before Rodney suddenly clutched his head in pain.

_His mind was a hurricane of confusion. Image after image played before his eyes. Memories from different lives jumbled in his head. Faces and places blurred together._

…_the airplanes were shooting at him chasing him down the beach…._

…_a little girl stared at him from her spot next to a piano. "Mer, can you play Fur Elise again?"..._

… "_002. Is that your name?" _

"_It's good enough."…_

…_four faces stared down at him, the one with messy hair smirking. "That was a Hail Mary!"…_

…"_Who are you guys?"_

"_We're your brothers, in a manner of speaking." _

"_Yeah, seven brothers and one sister." A small laugh ran through the group…_

…_bluish creatures, created from the stuff of nightmares, feasting on people's lives. Feeding on two men, leaving one old and decrepit…_

…_a phantom with a skull like face…_

… "_So I suck at Prime, not Prime. Somehow I'm going to sleep tonight."_

"_At this point it's gone way beyond you not knowing your prime numbers."…_

…_walking through a field with a blonde woman and a man with a strange accent …_

_... "—family? But we refer to each other by number."…_

…_walking through a field with a blonde woman and a man with a strange accent …_

Faces flashed through his mind, but things were slowing down. He recognized these people. He wasn't on the table. These people weren't the shadows of his nightmare. Slowly one set of memories faded. He knew this place and these people. They were his friends.

He was on Atlantis.

Elizabeth watched as Rodney uncurled. He glanced around before locking eyes with her. "Elizabeth? What am I doing in the infirmary?" He transferred his gaze to Carson. "What happened to you?"

A collective sigh of relief was released when it was obvious that Rodney appeared to be okay. Sheppard chuckled. "You clocked Carson good, Rodney."

Rodney, for his part, looked chagrinned. "Sorry Carson."

"Ach, that's alright lad. I forgive ye." He picked up a large syringe from the tray. "Now that you're awake though, I think we'll run some tests now. Starting with some blood work."

Rodney grimaced. "Oh joy."

* * *

"So doc, what's the verdict? Is Rodney free to go?" 

Carson looked up from his charts as three members of SGA-1 walked infirmary to collect their fourth member. He frowned a little. "Well, I can't find anything wrong from the tests that I was able to perform."

Rodney looked up from where he was sitting on the bed, putting on his shoes. "What do you mean?"

"Well Rodney, it seems some of my equipment still isn't working right so some of my tests didn't turn out. Especially the MRI machine, it was acting like there was electrical interference."

"I can still go though, right?"

"Fine, but if you experience any strange symptoms, I want you to come back. You hear me?" He spared an extra glare at John, Teyla, and Ronon.

"Don't worry doc. We'll keep an eye on him."

* * *

"Why do I have to be here again?" 

"Come on Rodney. Think of it as team bonding."

"How is working out together going to bring us closer as a team?"

Ronon smirked. "Just get on the treadmill McKay. Besides, you could use the exercise."

Rodney scowled as he started to run. "This is so pointless. It's like running on a hamster wheel."

"If you want to spar with Teyla instead…"

"No, that's okay. I'll take the hamster wheel."

With hurricane McKay taken care of, John could concentrate on his sparring session with few complaints from the scientist. Soon he was immersed in the sharp cracks of the banto sticks. That combined with the dull thuds of Ronon hitting the punching bag and the hum of the treadmill sent him into a trance.

John didn't fully wake up until an hour and a half later when Teyla sent him slamming into the floor. Teyla helped him up and they put their gear away. He looked over to Rodney. "How're you doing McKay?"

Rodney was barely sweating as he stepped off the treadmill, wasn't even breathing hard. "It was joyous but now that the fun is finally over, I really have more important things to do." Grabbing his stuff, Rodney walked out of the room.

John shared a look with Ronon and Teyla. All three of them were drenched from the work out, so how could Rodney not be exhausted?

* * *

_Once again, images flashed through his mind. Memories of another time and life. Disturbing images of identical soldier lying broken with wires hanging out of them. Fighting for his life against a nightmare._

"Rodney."

_Eight faces flashed before his eyes, bringing back memories._

"Rodney…_"_

"_What am I?"_

"_You are—"_

"Rodney! Wake up!"

Rodney shot up from where his head rested on the lab table. Radek was eyeing him with an almost morbid curiosity.

"Rodney, are you alright?"

The man in question scowled. "Yes, yes. I'm fine. Did you need something?"

"I, uh, was just going to tell you it was early morning and you needed sleep, but uh you should really see Carson."

Rodney felt a sense of dread sweep over him. "Why? Radek, what's wrong?"

The Czech didn't say anything. Instead, he went to one of the lab cabinets and pulled out a metal tray used to hold equipment. He handed it to Rodney.

Slowly, Rodney raised the tray.

"Oh shit."

"Rodney, you need to visit infirmary." This time he didn't argue. Instead he stood and silently made his way through the halls.

The few people that were up that early in the morning stared as he passed.

* * *

John walked into the infirmary to a surprising scene. Carson was running test on a kid while four marines stood guard. 

"What's going on?"

Surprisingly it was the kid, he couldn't have been more that nineteen or twenty, that spoke up. "Colonel, you have to put me in a cell right now."

"Uh doc, who is this?"

"I'd like to know as well." Elizabeth walked into the room, followed by Teyla, Ronon, and Zalenka.

"Well Dr. Weir, it's Rodney."

Jaws dropped around the room.

Teyla stepped closer to the bed, studying his face before nodding. "It is definitely Rodney."

Ronon raised an eyebrow. "How can you tell?" It was a good question. The person on the bed had a thin, muscled frame, a slightly boyish face, and wavy brown hair that fell about his ears and half covered one eye.

"His eyes are the same." It was true. Despite the young face, the deep blue eyes were familiar to them all. Even as they stood there, the similarities between the person on the bed and the Rodney McKay they knew became more apparent.

"Was this caused by the device?"

Carson shrugged. "That's the only reason I can come up with. Rodney here seems to believe he's gonna become a monster. I'm not so convinced. Other than the rapid de-aging, I couldn't find anything wrong with him. Although, some of my machines are still acting up."

"If you aren't going to be doing any more of your voodoo rituals, then can I at least go back to work?"

"Well, since I can't find anything wrong medical wise, I don't see why you can't go back on _light" _he shot a look at Rodney as well as the other members of SGA-1 "duty, as long as someone stays with him."

John, Teyla and Ronon nodded. "We'll keep an eye on him for you."

Unfortunately for Rodney, Beckett's demand was heeded. After a team breakfast, Rodney found himself accompanied by his three teammates. It didn't matter where he went, he always had three extra shadows.

It was only late morning and Rodney was already starting to go a little crazy. He picked up his tools and headed out of the labs toward the control room, pretending not to notice the stares he was receiving from everyone in the hallway.

"God, I feel like I'm in a fishbowl." John clapped him on the shoulder.

"C'mon McKay. It's not that bad."

"Would you want to wake up sixteen years younger than when you fell asleep? God, I need a drink but I can't. I'm not old enough anymore."

John shrugged. "Oh, I don't know if I would mind too much, but this does make one wonder why the ancients would create something that causes computers to go haywire and acts like a fountain of youth at the same time. I think the ancients had a little too much free time."

"I still say you shouldn't be letting me walk around."

Teyla frowned. "Why is that?"

Rodney rubbed his temple, not answering. It seemed like such an important thing but for the life of him, Rodney couldn't remember why.

"So what's the next project McKay?"

"The technician on nightshift said one of the consoles is still acting up. I'm just gonna check it ou—" Rodney was cut off when the stargate activated. The shield was immediately brought up.

Elizabeth rushed into the control room. "Have we received and identification code yet?"

Chuck looked up. "Receiving Lieutenant Cadman's IDC now."

"Lower the shield."

Soldiers came hurtling through the gate. "We're coming in hot!" One of the them yelled as Cadman came through the gate supporting a semi-conscious Major Lorne.

"Raise the shield!"

But it was too late. The moment just before the shield activated an arrow shot through the gate, heading straight for the two marines. There was no time to react.

When Rodney saw the projectile, something in his head clicked. He acted on pure instinct.

Teyla gasped when she felt something fly past her. She turned her eyes from the pair for just a second, but that was all that was needed. One second Rodney was standing next to her and the next he was in front of Cadman and Lorne.

Rodney was thrown backward from the impact of the arrow into his shoulder.

"Rodney!"

John, Ronon, and Teyla sprinted towards their fallen teammate, who was staring at the spot where his hand clutched the arrow protruding from his shoulder.

Elizabeth tapped her radio as she hurried to the physicist side as well. "We need a medical team in the gate room now!"

"Aye, we're on our way."

John knelt next to McKay. "Rodney, hang on. Beckett's coming."

Rodney looked up, meeting John's gaze with haunted eyes. "I told you, you should have locked me up." He pulled his hand away from his shoulder.

When John saw the wound he backed up, gasping.

Instead of flesh and bone, damaged circuitry and ripped wires were exposed.

Rodney silently took in every shocked and fearful face in the gate room before turning his head back to Teyla, Ronon, and John.

"I told you."

With that last remark, he surrendered to the sweet pull of oblivion.

* * *

**Continue? Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Thanks for the great reviews! I was pleasantly surprised that so many people liked the fussion and excited to find that I wasn't the only Cyborg009 fans out there. Anyway...time for a new chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own stargate: atlantis or cyborg009

* * *

Almost Human

ch.2

"_I told you."_

The line kept playing through Teyla's mind as she stood, for the third time, in the infirmary with other members of the senior staff, looking at the unconscious figure that was currently restrained to the bed.

"Really, I don't think we really need to use restraints. He's not going anywhere."

"Carson, do you not see what the rest of us do? There are wires, WIRES, sticking out of that thing's shoulder!"

"Colonel, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut the bloody hell up." The normally kind and unflappable Scotsman's words stopped John's tirade cold. "Listen to yerself! Rodney's your friend and you just called him a thing!"

John pointed at the sleeping figure. "That is not Rodney. Rodney McKay isn't some type of robot. It has to be a replicator."

Radek shook his head. "Cannot be replicator, circuitry is distinctly of earth variety, also his body would already have healed if Rodney was replicator."

Carson added his own observations. "He's nothing close to being one. I had to bandage his wound. He isn't just circuitry. There's still flesh and blood with the wires, it just appears that certain parts of his anatomy were replaced.

Teyla frowned. "Please explain. I have never heard of a person who is half machine."

"Cyborg is correct term. Until now, I have never encountered this type of technology on earth, though it is quite popular in science fiction novels."

"Elizabeth nodded. "SG1 one had their consciousnesses copied and put into mechanical bodies."

John gaped in disbelief, but that quickly turned into anger. "How can you all just stand here and talk about this like it's no big deal?!"

Elizabeth stared at John. "Believe me, colonel. We are not making light of this situation."

"Well, you could have fooled me!"

Teyla felt her anger rising. How could John act like this? "John, listen to yourself. Rodney is your friend. How can you talk like this?"

"No, you listen to yourself! You're all acting like…like this is normal! How can you—" He fumbled for the right words, but gave up. We whipped around, heading for the door. "I need some air."

Carson watched in silence as Sheppard stormed out of the infirmary.

He didn't get what John's problem was. Sure this was strange, but since coming to Atlantis, the doctor had seen a lot of strange things. It was starting to become routine, so he didn't see how John could easily deal with things like turning into a bug, and then totally freak out when this came up.

Carson glanced at the prone form on the med bed. Though, he had to admit this was definitely high on the scale of all things strange but that wasn't going to change the fact that Rodney was his friend. He wasn't going to let this new turn change how he treated the scientist. If anything Rodney was going to need all the friends he could get.

A small groan pulled everyone from their own private musings, turning their attention to the bed. Rodney started to toss and turn, twitching every now and then.

_Running._

_The only thing occupying his mind was putting one foot in front of the other and staying ahead of the people chasing him._

_The rain splattered against his skin as his feet pounded against the pavement, carrying him farther and farther away. He wasn't really sure where he was anymore._

_Suddenly the road ended at a cliff overlooking the ocean. Below him, the water churned and swirled around sharp, jagged rocks. He turned to go another direction, but it was too late. The mob had him surrounded, cut off from every escape routes._

_Policemen stepped forward._

"_We've got you surrounded, . Just come quietly." _

_He backed up a little, coming to the edge of the cliff. A few rocks and pebbles were dislodged, falling into the ocean with little splashes. "I didn't kill anyone."_

"_There's no point in denying it. You were the only one nearby when he was murdered." The police continued moving forward. "It was obviously you, so stop trying to say otherwise."_

_They were closing in. His eyes darted from face to face. Anger and hatred radiated from each one. They were getting closer, but he couldn't back up any more. He was on the edge and there was no getting past the mob._

_How could they think that he killed the priest the man had taken care of him and all the other orphans that the system couldn't find a home for. The man had been the closest thing to a father for him. How could they believe that he would do something like this?_

_It was useless. No escape._

_He looked behind him at the roiling water then back at the policemen only a few feet away._

_There was only one way out._

"_I didn't do it." With that last statement he took one more step backwards, through the air. He felt truly weightless as the air whipped past him. He knew it wouldn't last though. Soon he would hit the water and, at the force he would hit the water at, he wasn't sure if he would survive the fall. If the fall didn't kill him, the rocks probably would. _

_He kept falling, but he didn't hit water. Instead as the sensation of falling drifted away, he was engulfed in comforting warmth._

He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the infirmary.

_The bright lights and smell of disinfectants were overwhelming. He was in the place again. He could see shadows gathering around him._

Ronon watched as bleary, unfocussed eyes roved the room, searching for something familiar. Fear flashed through his eyes as he struggled against the restraints, trying to push himself as far away from them as possible. He wasn't quite sure what to think about the recent events but he did know that his teammate, his friend if he was honest, needed his support. He moved closer giving his silent support to the panicking scientist.

"No more…please…"

Carson moved closer and placed his hand on Rodney's shoulder, trying to ignore the flinch that accompanied the action. "Rodney, lad, you're safe. Wake up."

The doctor's reassurances didn't seem to calm him though. Instead he fought harder against the restraints. "Not the table…please….no more."

"Rodney, you're safe. You're on Atlantis, in the infirmary."

Rodney's eyes seemed to focus and he stopped struggling. "Carson…" He looked at the doctor. "What happened? Why am I strapped down?" He pulled at the restraints, but stopped when he caught sight of his hands. "Oh." Memories of the morning flooded his mind as the pain in his shoulder became evident. He glanced up at Elizabeth. "So, what does this mean?" He spotted Radek and started to hyperventilate. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Radek's waiting to dissect me isn't he? No, no, no."

Elizabeth's heart clinched a little at Rodney's quick jump to such a grim conclusion concerning his friends. "Rodney…"

"I won't let you cut me open!"

Radek tried to get his attention as well. He moved closer to the bed. "I'm not—"

Rodney flinched. "Don't come any closer! You're not getting anywhere near me."

Hurt was evident in the Czech's eyes as he heeded the command and backed away.

Teyla sighed. Despite his changed appearance, his personality remained the same. The freak-out was definitely in character for the scientist. She stepped into Rodney's line of vision. "Rodney, calm down." Teyla called upon years of experience being a leader and all of the commanding calm she could muster. "No one is going to be cutting anyone open."

'Oh." He looked to Elizabeth. "Really? No dissection?"

"Really Rodney."

"Well, that's nice. Um…" He paused, studying them all. "…no offense, but why is everyone so calm about this? I would have thought I'd wake up in a cell."

Ronon let out a derisive snort from where he was leaning on the wall next to Rodney's bed. "Not everyone took it so well."

It was then that Rodney noticed John's absence. "Sheppard?"

Teyla frowned. "John did not…react well."

Rodney sighed to himself. Of everyone in Atlantis, he would have thought that Sheppard would have been there for him, no matter what. John was one of the few people he considered a friend, maybe even his best friend. To know that he wouldn't be able to rely on his friend for support hurt deeply, but he couldn't really blame Sheppard. He wouldn't be calm if someone he thought he knew well turned out not to be completely human. At least he seemed to still have a few friends on Atlantis.

"That's to be expected…" He gestured, as best he could in the restraints, at his shoulder. "…considering the circumstances."

Elizabeth schooled her features not show her discomfort. Even though Carson had wrapped a bandage around the wound, it was hard to forget that flesh and blood wasn't the only thing under the innocuous wrap. "That's what I want to talk to you about. We need to know how this happened. How did you…"

"What? Become a monster?!" The panic that had been simmering under the surface burst forth.

"Rodney, no one is calling you a—"

He cut her off, pulling again at his restraints. "You don't have to." Rodney seemed to deflate. He took a deep breathe in an attempt to calm himself. "I don't… I don't know how I got like this. Every once in a while, I have this dream. In it I'm on a table and there are people standing above me, and…." His voice caught in his throat. "…uh, and flashbacks. Ever since I woke up that first time, I've been having what I think are flashes of memories but even with these I don't have a clue. All I can remember clearly is 009."

"Zero zero nine? What is that?" Teyla asked.

"Me."

* * *

After leaving the infirmary, John ran.

Long and far.

He let himself fall into the pounding rhythm of his feat on the floor. He didn't want to think about anything to do with the last twenty four hours.

Rodney…is….a cyborg.

His brain seemed to want to implode.

He couldn't even give a distinct reason for being so mad.

Rodney was his friend. He should still be in the infirmary, but John just couldn't bring himself to go back. He'd think about Rodney, but he just couldn't equate his friend with what he saw lying on the infirmary bed. Rodney was a thirty six year old, acerbic astrophysicist, not some kid with wires hanging out of him.

John picked up his speed.

He really needed to run.

* * *

"Well, we're going to have to do some surgery, but for the most part there isn't too much tissue damage." Beckett finished rewrapping the bandage on Rodney's shoulder while the scientist rubbed at nonexistent bruises on his wrists from the recently removed restraints.

"What kind of surgery?" He studied Carson with narrowed eyes.

"Ach, don't act glare at me like that, Rodney. I already told you, this" He tapped the bandaged shoulder lightly. "isn't going to change anything. You're still my friend. As far as the surgery goes, most of it is going to be Radek fixing up the damaged circuitry but you do need some tissue grafts. Even though your shoulder is mostly robotic, you still have enough muscle and tissue to need medical attention as well as engineering attention. There will be no expirimentation involved."

Silence grew between them as Carson put his medical supplies away. Rodney quickly put his shirt back on then turned to the doctor, a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. "Uh, Carson?"

"Yeah Rodney?"

"Thanks."

Confusion flitted across the Scotsman's face. "For what?"

He crossed his arms in front of him, a decidedly Rodney-like action that reassured Carson in its familiarity. This was still his friend, no matter what he looked like.

"Just…for not freaking out on me."

"Rodney, despite the fact that you are arrogant, sarcastic, and the biggest hypochondriac I know, you're still one of my best friends. This isn't going to change that."

Rodney nodded. "Friends." He said the word as if to reassure himself that this conversation was real. "Thanks."

Carson was relieved that Rodney seemed to have finally accepted that he wasn't going to be abandoned. He glanced at the clock, realizing it was noon. It was then that he noticed how hungry he was. The morning's revelations had pushed everything else to the back burner. This was chance to give Rodney some normalcy. It would only take a few minutes to track down Radek, Teyla, Ronon, and Elizabeth.

"How about some lunch?"

* * *

After Carson radioed Elizabeth as they headed out of the infirmary and met Radek, Ronon, and Teyla on the way to the mess hall. Elizabeth was waiting for them outside the door.

Rodney paused. His mind was screaming for him to just go back to his room and avoid human contact all together but he knew he couldn't hide forever. Besides, his own personality wouldn't let him just run away like that.

Taking a deep breath, Rodney pushed the mess hall doors open.

The mess hall grew quiet as they walked in, but Rodney pretended to ignore it as they made there way across the room.

Ronon glared at the onlookers and moved closer to McKay's side, partially shielding him from curious and frightened stares. The others moved as well. Forming a sort of vanguard, giving Rodney their support and letting the onlookers know as well. The runner let is gaze linger for a few seconds on Sheppard, who was sitting alone and with his head down at a table in the corner.

They moved as a group to the serving lines. Ronon was piling his usual amount of food on a tray when a loud crash sounded.

* * *

John had just sat down at an out-of-the-way table in the mess hall with a faux-turkey sandwich and bottle of water when everything went silent. He looked up just in time to see Rodney walk into the room. He quickly dropped his gaze as the group made its way through the room.

Even though he couldn't see Ronon, he could feel the Satedan's gaze on him. John glanced around. Seeing the looks on people faces- curiosity, fear, and even some outright loathing- made John feel ashamed of himself. He had abandoned his friend because something unexpected had come up. He had abandoned Rodney right when the scientist needed his support the most. '_Way to go Sheppard. What a great friend you are.'_

John pushed up from the table. It was time to make amends.

He watched as the group went through the line, grabbing food. Rodney separated from the others, heading over to the coffee out of habit. John was the only one to notice the marine that was making his way towards the scientist.

He was running across the mess hall before his mind even registered the action.

* * *

When he heard the crash, Radek turned just in time to see Rodney sprawled on the ground. The cause of his sudden acquaintance with the floor, one of the new marines brought by the Daedalus, was standing above him, his fist still raised.

"Get out. No one wants you around, freak."

Radek was shocked, not only by the hatred in the soldier's voice but also by the agreement reflected in a good number of the spectators' faces. A few even cheered when Rodney went down. Before he, or anyone else in their group, could do anything, Sheppard had launched himself at the marine.

The man didn't know what hit him. He was out like a light before he hit the ground.

Rodney groaned in pain, tentatively massaging his aching jaw. The pain wasn't as bad as it could have been but it still hurt like hell.

Someone crouched down next to him. "Rodney, are you all right?" He looked up at the familiar voice. Sheppard was watching him concernedly, waiting for his answer.

"Uh…yeah. The Neanderthal surprised me, that's all."

As John helped Rodney stand, Elizabeth met the eyes of every person in the room. "You can't even begin to know how disappointed I am." She glanced down at Carson, who was checking the unconscious marine's pulse half-heartedly.

"He'll be fine. I've already called for someone to come and collect him."

She nodded. "Tell your people to keep him in the infirmary until I'm ready to deal with him."

"Aye."

John helped Ronon fill a new tray with food. "Bout time." Ronon commented, but left it at that.

"Yeah, I was being a jack ass."

"You came around though."

Teyla handed a new cup of coffee to Rodney, smiling. "I believe it would be best if we continued lunch somewhere else, maybe the east pier."

Rodney took the cup, nodding in gratitude. "Yeah." He glanced around the mess hall. "That would be good."

John walked next to Rodney as the group made its way to the impromptu picnic spot. "I'm sorry."

The scientist attempted to shrug off the apology. "It's not a big deal. You were reacting normally."

John shook his head. "No, I shouldn't have treated you like that. No matter what."

"If it'll make you feel better, you can give me the chocolate that you got on the last supply run."

"Nice try McKay." He grinned, confidant that Rodney had forgiven him for the previous abandonment. Sure, Rodney would give him crap for it for the next year to come, but at least things were looking up.

* * *

In a small house in Arles in the south of France, a young woman hummed as she worked. The smell of bread baking in the oven permeated the house. Her work combined with the radiant heat from the sun and the rich smell lulled her into a trance.

"_Francoise!_" The voice calling in her mind broke through the haze. Pushing a rogue strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, Francoise hurried into the next room where a baby no older than one was sitting on the floor, surrounded by rubix cubes, newspapers, puzzles, and other out-of-place items.

"Ivan, what is it?"

The child rubbed his temples. "_He's awake."_

"Who?"

"_009."_

_

* * *

_

**_C_ontinue? Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**Hey everyone! It's time for another chapter. I'd like to thank everyone that has taken the time to review. Anyway...on with the chapter. Hope you enjoy! 

**Diclaimer: **I don't own Stargate: Atlantis or Cyborg009. The only one that's mine is a breifly mentioned OC.

* * *

**Almost Human**

**ch.3**

"_Is he going to meet us?"_

Francoise hung up the phone, turning to the baby sitting on her sofa. She nodded. "Yes. G.B. is going to try and get on a plane from England tonight. Were you able to contact Albert?"

"_Thankfully yes. He was blocking me from his mind earlier, but he finally stopped ignoring me. I was able to get him to agree to come to France. He'll be leaving Germany in an hour or so."_

Francoise frowned. "How is he doing?"

She heard his sigh in her head. _"I'm worried. He's always been somewhat distant, but he seemed particularly withdrawn. Hopefully this meeting will help pull him out of his mood. On a better note, G-Junior was able to catch a flight from the U.S. Jet left as soon I made contact."_

"I called Chang and Pyunma. Chang was able to get a plane ticket at last moment from China and will be here mid-morning. Pyunma said his flight would arrive in the evening."

"_Good. If he really is awake, then we'll need to act quickly."_

They shared a look. Francoise sighed, finally asking the question that had been plaguing her mind since Ivan had called to her that morning. "What does this mean? Is he really back?"

"_There can be no doubt. I felt his dormant memories awaken."_

"Have you tried contacting him?"

"_I attempted to but for some reason I was barely able to make contact. Not nearly enough to communicate. It's strange. I have had trouble communicating from long distances in the past but even contacting someone in another country is possible. So I'm not quite sure why I can't form a link."_

"Wha—" Her question was cut off when something out the window caught her attention. Walking over to the window, Francoise could see a figure in the distance. First glance said it was moving too fast to be human, but she knew appearances were often deceiving. "It's Jet. He's about eleven kilometers away, so he'll be here in a minute or so."

"_Good." _Ivan nodded, not even bothering to look out the window. He new that his eyes, or the eyes of any normal person, wouldn't see anything other than the night sky. 

They waited in silence for a minute or two before Francoise threw open the door, exclaiming in delight. "Jet!" She launched herself at the young man just as his feet touched the ground. He met her hug with equal enthusiasm.

"Man, I was hoping to surprise you." He grinned, tapping right above her left eye. "Guess I should've known better."

Smiling, Francoise pulled him into the house. "I wasn't expecting you this early. How was the flight?" She studied him, taking in Jet's appearance. His clothes and red hair were definitely windblown but a grin threatened to overwhelm his face. Jet smirked as they sat down, gesturing towards his heals, where Francoise knew the modifications that let him defy gravity were hidden. 

"Considering I didn't have to wait for a plane, I made good time. It was amazing to fly out in the open like that without worrying about someone seeing me." He paused for a second, meeting their eyes. "I've missed you guys."

Francoise nodded in agreement. "We've been out of touch."

"_It was an unfortunate necessity. We needed to keep our distance until we could make sure that no one would try and restart the program."_

"So why now? What's going on?"

* * *

"I've never seen material like this before." Radek stepped back from the medical bed where Rodney was sitting while he examined the damaged circuitry. 

Rodney frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The configuration and design of your robotic parts are definitely earth-based, but the alloy that most of it is made of is like nothing on earth. Is interesting." He looked questioningly at his friend as he replaced the bandage. "Do you remember anything that could shed light on this?" 

The astrophysicist sighed, rubbing his temples. "No. I've just been getting random flashes that, more often than not, I can't remember half the details of. Is this going to affect the repair?" 

"I'm not sure, but I do not believe so."

"If you don't feel up to it, I could always do it myself." He suggested, trying to sound innocent.

Radek let out an exasperated sigh. This was the fourth time that Rodney had brought up doing the repair on his shoulder himself. The first time, Carson had caught him with the bandage undone and poking at the circuitry with a diagnostics tool. "You cannot even get good angle to work on it, so how can you repair the damage yourself, hm? No. I will make repairs, though it would be nice to have some assistance. If it is alright with you, I would like Dr. Kusanagi to help with work."

Rodney was silent, mulling over the decision in his head as he pulled his shirt back on. He didn't feel all that comfortable even having Carson or Radek performing surgery. Adding someone else would be going against his instinct but if he had to pick someone, Miko would be his top choice. 

"Yeah, that's fine."

Miko had already proven herself.

_After spending as much time possible dragging out their picnic lunch, everyone went their separate ways to get back to work with the plan to meet up later for dinner. Rodney walked with Radek back to the labs, discussing the current projects. He idly scratched his shoulder as they rounded the final corner in the hallway. "We'll need to get the progress reports for the teams working on that device from P4X-698…"_

_The lab went silent when they entered. _

_Radek watched as Rodney stomped over to his worktable, pretending to ignore the eyes that followed him and the blatant pause in work. The Czech frowned when he saw his friend stiffen for a second before ripping something off his computer. Curious, Radek moved over to Rodney's side, looking over his shoulder._

_In his hand was an expertly rendered photo of Rodney's face on the body of the tin-man from 'the Wizard of Oz'. A little speech bubble saying "If I only had a heart." finished the image off. _

_Seeing that the picture had thrown Rodney off, Radek easily grabbed it out of his hands. He quickly crumpled it up before tossing it into the trash._

"_You all have work to do, so stop gaping." Rodney snapped, attempting to regain control. His demand was met with blank stares._

_Radek could tell that the Canadian was going to lose it soon, and when he did it would be an explosion of grand, McKay-like proportions. _

_Just as the explosion seemed imminent, a quiet voice caught Rodney's attention._

"_Dr. McKay-san." They were both surprised to see Miko standing there, holding a tablet in her hands. She glanced at the tablet, then back at the two scientists before holding it out to the still-surprised head scientist. "Here are the city's energy output reports." Rodney stared at the object before finally regaining his composer and taking it. _

"_Thanks." He scanned the reports, spotting an anomaly, before looking back up at the petite scientist. "I want you to get Simpson, Ellison, Kavanagh, and Esposito. Check out the fluctuations in grid seven."_

_Kusanagi nodded in acknowledgement and walked off to find the other scientists. _

_The scientist's act of complete normalcy turned out to be just the thing to finally get everyone back in gear. After that, everyone was able to get back to work and Rodney could pretend to ignore their frequent furtive glances as he Radek studied the device that started all the trouble_. 

Rodney nodded, repeating himself. "Yeah, I'm fine with that."

"Good, I'll fill Miko in on repair plan." 

"Thanks."

There was a slightly awkward silence as they moved into the hall, walking towards the residence area. Rodney's room was closer to the transporter. Before Radek could say anything, the door was already swishing shut behind Rodney.

Radek sighed as he watched his friend disappear behind the door. Shaking his head a little, he left to go to his own quarters. 

* * *

Rodney stepped out onto his balcony and slid down heavily against the wall until he met the floor. He breathed deeply, trying to keep the pattern of inhales and exhales even. 

Now that no one was around, Rodney could feel all the shadow he had pushed to the back of his mind reassert themselves in full force. When he was eating with his team, Carson, Elizabeth, and Radek on the pier, it was easy to fool himself into believing that nothing had changed. 

Afterwards though was a different story. 

No matter how much Carson and Radek acted nonchalant when they were going over the damage to his shoulder and planning surgery, Rodney couldn't help but feel a little like an especially interesting specimen in a science lab. They might only be trying to help, but it only served to remind Rodney that he was different.

_Unnatural._

_Freak._

_Monster._

_Not. Human._

The whispers and eyes that followed him through the halls drove the point home.

There might be those few willing to look past his non-biological features, but he was in no way accepted. The glares that he felt burning into his back in the halls, the wise cracks and trip-ups in the lab and the resulting laughter made that fact all too clear. They also made him realize that time was limited.

There was no way his luck would last. Eventually, his friends would realize he wasn't worth their effort and send him off to some dark and dank lab for study and dissection. 

He could see it in his head. The memories of the place resonated in his head.

_Cold metal pressed into his back, but he couldn't move to relieve the discomfort. Wrist and ankle restraints made sure of that._

_The fiery pain racing through his veins mixed with the sickly clean smell of the place, making him want to throw up. At least he would, if he had anything to throw up. _

_He wasn't sure how long he'd been in this place, strapped to the table. There were no window, only the harsh electrical light that came on when They came. _

_They didn't come at any set time but They came often. Sometimes They caused the pain to rise higher and higher, pushing his limits until beautiful oblivion finally claimed him. That wasn't the worst though. What he hated the most was when all They did was take readings from monitors and stare at him_

_One of Them was a woman. Whenever They took readings she would stand above him, staring down at him with cold dead eyes. She would dissect him with her eyes, planning new ways to cause him pain._

"_You're nothing, you know."_

_Always, she would say the same thing. _

"_You're a weapon, that's all. A tool used for destruction. A monster."_

_Her words bit as deep into his pain riddled mind as the actual physical pain. _

_Not human…_

_The disgust was clear in her eyes, mixing with fascination at the monster she had helped to create. Her own Frankenstein's monster._

_Unnatural…_

"Rodney."

_Monster…._

"McKay."

_Not Human…_

"Rodney, wake up!"

He jerked awake to find Sheppard kneeling next to him and Ronon and Teyla standing in the doorway to his balcony. It took a minute for his nightmare fogged brain to process that they were there. "What are you doing here?"

"Well Rodney," John drawled out. "it's movie night and we couldn't reach you on the radio and you missed dinner, so we decided to come and get you personally. Now, are you coming with us or are we gonna have to drag you there?"

Rodney grumbled as he picked himself up. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of missing it. What crappy movie is going to be responsible for the death of more of my brain cells? You're lucky I have so many to spare or I might have been left with nothing after you made me watch 'Napoleon Dynamite' last time."

Teyla smiled at his comment. The snarking was a good sign. "I believe it is Ronan's turn to choose a movie."

"So Conan, what stimulating movie did you choose for our viewing pleasure?"

"Ocean's Eleven."

"Good choice." He admitted grudgingly.

The banter continued as they made their way out of the room. As they walked, Rodney allowed himself to temporarily forget about all his worries. "So, what ever happened to that marine from the mess hall?"

John smirked. "I've never seen Elizabeth chew someone out like that. He's confined to his quarters indefinitely since we can't send him back to Earth, but he didn't get off with just the beat down from Weir. Somehow, Zelenka and Kusanagi were able to rig the climate controls in his room to make it snow and, I think, Cadman set some charges in his room while he was still in the infirmary. The maintenance crew said his toilette and shower exploded."

The four of them shared a smile as they sat down to watch their movie, sharing a bowl of popcorn between them.

* * *

"So, what's going on?"

Ivan didn't answer right away, taking his time deciding what the best way to breech the news was. He studied the seven people around the room, hearing the thoughts of each. All held curiosity and a little worry about what was going on, but a small air of happiness permeated the room. Everyone was glad to be together. It had been too long since they had all seen each other. A taste of sadness accented good feeling. Each of them was aware of their missing member.

After the final battle, they had all gone their separate ways to keep any lingering threats from being able to find them. Even though it was for their own safety, the self-imposed separation had come with costs. Each of them was forced to heal themselves, and face a rapidly changing world while they remained stagnant, alone.

Some had a harder time than others… The child's gaze fell on the figure in the back. Albert stood next to the window, watching the rain pelt the glass. …and some were still trying to heal their broken souls. Ivan Asimov, cyborg model 001, didn't need to read the German's mind to see that the man was still suffering. 

But, despite his own inner demons, there were no doubts that they could count on Albert when they needed him.

He couldn't stall anymore, they needed answers and everyone was looking at him expectantly. So he decided to just get to the point. 

"_He's awake. 009 has woken up."_

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in but when it did, G.B. was the first one to speak up.

"Are you sure? I thought you blocked his memories."

"_I did but there was always the possibility that something would cause the block to disappear. It was the same thing with what the time warper, Robert Tempor, did to cause his body to age. Something must have triggered the relapse."_

"Do you think someone found out and did it on purpose?" Pyunma's question caused the others to exchange worried glances. The sickly sweet taste of fear swamped the room, causing Ivan to raise his mental shields higher. 

"Do think someone's actually tracked him down?" 

Surprisingly, it was Albert that answered Francoise's question. "I don't know about him, but someone definitely knows about us." He stepped away from the window, moving to pace in front of the small fireplace. "For the past month, I've noticed people shadowing me."

"_Are you sure?"_

"Positive. A couple of times I caught someone trying to take pictures or just watching my house." He noticed the glances toward the windows and Francoise's deep concentration as she tried to detect any hidden intruders. "I managed to lose the two following me yesterday when I got off the plane."

"We'll need to act quickly then, if someone's found him." Ivan nodded in agreement.

"_Jet is correct, speed is key if we have been discovered. Also for his sake, I have no doubt it will take time for the block to completely wear off. He'll be confused."_

"What's the plan?"

"_Over the years, I've kept tabs on him from time to time to make sure nothing happened. He is going by the name Rodney McKay and the last time I checked, he was working for a branch of the U.S. military at a base in Colorado Springs. Our best course of action would be to go there and retrieve him a quickly as possible. Francoise has already booked a flight for us that leaves in a few hours."_

Everyone in the room recognized the implied command and moved to get the small bags they had brought with them.

Jet mulled over the situation in his head as he repacked, pushing a stray strand of red hair out of his eyes. Despite the seriousness of the situation, a part of him was glad something was happening. After years of hiding and building lives then moving on before anyone noticed the lack of aging, years of acting _normal, _he was ready for some action. The flight to France had merely whetted his appetite. If he was going to have to live with the modifications that were made to his body, then he wanted to use them. 

'_It'll be nice to have the whole group together again.' _He mused. Seeing Joe, _'No, it's Rodney now.'_, again would be great. They'd rescue him from the military base, then it would be just like old times.

Jet glanced at the others, noting most of them seemed just as excited as he was. 

'_Yep, just like old times.' 

* * *

_

Teyla smiled contentedly as she walked with the rest of her team to the morning meeting, remembering the good time they all had the previous evening. Everyone had enjoyed the movie, and it seemed like team night was just what Rodney needed. He seemed completely at ease as they walked, as if none of the past few days had happened.

The good mood disappeared though as they walked through the door. Radek, Elizabeth, and Carson were already sitting at the conference table, dark looks highlighting their faces.

Silently, the members of SGA-1 took their seats. 

Dr. Weir waited a few minutes before breaking the silence. "I have some bad news." Instead of waiting for anyone to say something, she continued. "This morning we received our weekly transmission from Earth through the stargate." This time she did pause, as if trying to put her words in the right order. "The IOA has decided to launch a review of the entire Atlantis expedition."

John felt a weight settle in his stomach at the words. "What does the review entail?"

"Along with a review of all mission, lab, and trade reports, the review will also include staff reports and personal interviews of all Atlantis personnel."

A pregnant silence settled on the room. Rodney was the first one to break it, unsuccessfully trying to appear calm. "How long?"

"The representative that Stargate Command and the IOA have chosen will arrive with the next Daedalus run. We have two weeks until it arrives." 

* * *

**Continue? Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I've had a bit of writer's block. There were a bunch of ways I wanted to take this fic and it was difficult to get it out but enough complaining by me, 'cuz here it is. Hope you enjoy. any critique is appreciated.

P.S.- to anyone that's reading Searching for Eden, don't worry. It shouldn't be too much longer. Again, sorry for the wait. Anyway, on with the fic. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I don't own Stargate or Cyborg 009.

* * *

Almost Human

ch.4

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Albert jumped at the voice coming from right next to him. 'Damn.' He'd been so in his own head, he hadn't even noticed Francois's approach. He shook his head. "I'm not really interested in sharing."

Francois sighed, resigned to settle in for the long haul on this one. It was the only way to get anywhere with the withdrawn German. She was thankful that the others had given them as much room as the small cargo plane would allow. They were all inconspicuously busy doing random small jobs or re-checking supplies. She turned her attention back to the closed off cyborg next to her. Knowing Albert wouldn't come right out and say what was bothering him, Francois decided to try a different route. "It's nice to see everyone again, isn't it?"

Albert shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." He wasn't going to make this easy.

"Come on. You have to admit you missed us…" She held up her thumb and forefinger, putting them close together and creating a small space. "…at least a little bit." This earned her a smile that was more of a slight curling at the corner of his lips, but a smile was a smile and a victory was a victory, no matter how small. She decided to continue along the same thread. "I can't wait to see Joe again." Unfortunately, this seemed to be the wrong thing to say. The small smile vanished.

"Rodney."

"What?" Francois frowned in confusion.

"His name is Rodney now."

She wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, but sensed it would lead to the current reason for Albert's brooding. "Okay, Rodney then."

Albert was silent for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "We're ruining his life…" He glanced at her. "…again."

"Why would you say that?"

He stared into her eyes in earnest. "Think about it. His life was ruined the first time when he was turned into a cyborg, and we just pulled him further into the chaos. Now…now he finally is living a normal life, a life that he had stolen from him. Is it really fair that we pull him back into this world?"

Francois wasn't really sure what to say to that. Albert had a point. Could they really tear Joe, '_no, it's Rodney', _away from his new life. Fortunately, she didn't have to answer; Ivan spoke up from his carrier seat on the co-pilot's chair. "_His life has already been irrevocably changed. If he truly has been reactivated, then he reverted back to his true form. He is most likely confused. People around him won't understand what is happening. If we don't go retrieve him, we could potentially be leaving him in danger." _

Albert sighed, resigned but not happy. "Guess we have no choice."

* * *

_Two weeks._

It was strange how two little, innocuous words could fill the minds of Atlantis's senior staff with dread.

After Elizabeth gave the deadline, silence permeated the room. Everyone's brains were too busy being rebooted after the systematic shutdown that the statement had brought upon them. Surprisingly, it was Rodney who was the first to recover from the initial shock.

Standing, Rodney swept up his laptop. "Well, if there's nothing more to discuss, I have work to do." They watched as he all but ran from the room before any of them could even think to move.

**……**

'_Shit. Shit. Shit.' _Rodney struggled not to hyperventilate as he moved through the halls of Atlantis, passing the labs instead of getting to work like he said. '_Two weeks.' _The words kept running through his head like a broken record. Two weeks until everything went up in flames. Two weeks until the last little bit of his life was ruined and he ended up on a dissection table in some underground bunker back on earth.

Rodney broke into a full run when he reached the edge of Atlantis's inhabited area, only stopping when he reached the south pier. It was his favorite place to be alone on the nights he couldn't sleep but didn't want to work in the labs. It was the perfect place. The normal path had been damaged during the storm, and most of the city's residents didn't know the alternate route. Rodney had stumbled upon it purely by accident the first time. Over time the south pier became his haven when things were at their worst.

He sighed as he sat down on the end of the pier, legs dangling over the edge. He didn't know what he was going to do when the Daedalus arrived. There was no doubt in his mind about what was going to happen when the day came. They might try to come up with a plan to explain his sudden de-aging, but it would get out sooner or later. Then he'd have a one way ticket back to earth and the table.

Sheppard and the others might try to help him, but they'd abandon him in the end. They'd realize he wasn't worth their time. And why should they try and help him? He pulled off the bandage covering his damaged shoulder, exposing the circuitry underneath. _'Why would they? I'm not even human.'_

**……**

Ronon picked up speed and passed Teyla and Sheppard as they left the conference room to search for McKay. "We shouldn't have let him leave."

"I know, but it's not like we knew he'd run away like that." Sheppard answered.

Teyla frowned. "We should have anticipated it."

"McKay runs when he is in pain. If we don't find him, he won't come out on his own." No one spoke as they ran past the main lab without even checking for the missing scientist. They knew Rodney well enough to know he didn't go back to work like he had said. Ronon had hit the nail on the head. There was no way that Rodney was as calm about this as he had pretended in the conference room.

The first place that they checked was Rodney's quarter, but all they found were bits and pieces of different technology and rumpled bedding. Their team balcony proved to be just as fruitless. Teyla and Sheppard paused after checking the rec area and commissary, but Ronon had a flash of memory and took off toward the city's south side.

_He couldn't stand it. _

_He tried to remind himself that they were just concerned about him, but if one more person came up to him and told him how sorry they were that he had to go through everything a second time. _

_It was only a few days since the others had rescued him from Sateda and removed the second tracker from his back, but it seemed like an eternity. Everyone in the city was walking on eggshells around him, was being so careful, like they thought he would break if they said the wrong thing._

_The coddling had forced him to find escape, which led to his current predicament. He knew where he was when he began running but as he ran on, Ronon had fallen into a trance of sorts. The end result was him wandering around lost in an unexplored part of the city. It seemed like he was going to have to radio someone to help him, but for now he would try to find his own way for a little longer. _

_Coming to a door, he activated the panel and watched as it opened sluggishly. He was surprised when he was met with a light, salty breeze instead of more dank, recycled air. He took a deep breath as he walked down the pier, instantly calmed by the peaceful surroundings._

_There was a small tower at the end of the pier and Ronon made his way towards it. It wasn't until he had rounded the structure that the Satedan found out that he wasn't alone. _

_Asleep at the base of the structure was McKay, lying on his stomach. He almost turned left, but decided to go ahead and make sure the scientist really was just sleeping and okay._

_He purposely made noise as he approached, causing McKay to jerk awake. _

"_Huh, Wha-?" Like usual, it took Rodney a moment to fully wake up and realize who was standing over him. "Jeeze, Conan! Try to give a little warning next time."_

_Ronon huffed out a laugh, ignoring McKay's change of his name, as he lowered himself to the ground next to McKay, who remained on his stomach. Ronon remembered that he had been hit in the ass with an arrow. McKay was also the only one who was treating him the same, the only one that acted normally. Ronon remembered what Beckett had told him, that McKay had insisted on coming with the rescue team despite his injury._

"_What are you doing out here?"_

_The scientist shifted uneasily, mentally debating before finally deciding to answer. "I was sick of all the cracks I was getting for being shot in the ass with an arrow, so I came out here. Most people don't know how to get here, so it's a good place to be alone." He gestured towards Ronon. "What about you?"_

"_Tired of people being careful around me." _

_Rodney nodded in understanding. _

**……..**

_Not human._

Rodney grimaced and stood, staring at the ocean.

'_Why would they want to help you?' _The nasty little voice spoke in his head. _'You're not even human. You're a monster. A weapon. All you can bring them is pain and trouble.' _His thoughts carried on in this manner as he watched the dark waves lap the sides of the pier. It wasn't fair to the others to make them try and protect him.

He continued to stare at the water. _'Things would be better if you took yourself out of the picture.' _The insidious voice at the back of his mind spoke again. _'It's so easy. Just one step off the pier and you're gone.' _Rodney shook his head trying to clear the dark thoughts, but they persisted.

He picked up one foot, preparing to take the final step off the edge. '_Just one step.' _It could all be over.

Rodney closed his eyes.

_He was on the cliff again._

_The rain splattered against his face and plastered his hair to his face. He could hear the yells of the crowd behind him. _

_Turning his back to the cliff edge, Rodney faced them but found that the people from that dark memory were gone. Others had taken their place. Instead of the townspeople, the inhabitants of Atlantis surrounded him. Like the memory, they jeered and yelled at him. Threw profanities and called for his blood._

_Elizabeth had taken the place of the police officer. Behind her, stood all of his friends._

_He was wrong, this wasn't like the memory._

_It was worse._

"_Why don't you just jump?" Elizabeth's question was met with murmurs of agreement from his team, Carson, Radek, and Katie too._

"_You don't deserve our friendship."_

"_Monster."_

"_Abomination." Katie's look of disgust cut deep. _

"_Not human."_

_Rodney faced the cliff. Maybe they were right. One step was all it took. He wouldn't survive this one. Then they'd be rid of him. He'd no longer be such a nuisance. _

Before he could step off though, strong arms encircled Rodney and hauled him away from the end.

"McKay, what the hell!"

"Let me go!" He broke free from Ronon's tight hold after a moment's struggle, thanks to his mechanically enhanced muscles. "I wasn't going to do anything." Rodney tried to defend himself.

Sheppard wouldn't hear any of it. "Like hell you weren't! You were about to jump into the ocean! What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't doing anything!"

Ronon growled. "Don't lie."

Rodney had finally reached his limits. He seemed to break in front of them. "I'ts better this way."

Teyla frowned. "What way?"

"If I jump, there won't be any more problem. You won't have to worry."

The statement was met with shocked disbelief. "Why the hell would you think something like that, McKay?"

John couldn't believe what he was hearing. The person in front of him wasn't the Rodney McKay they all knew. This wasn't the arrogant, hypochondriac, that despite all his whining and fears was a loyal and honest friend. This wasn't the confident king-of-the-geeks that ruled the science labs with an iron fist. This person wasn't even recognizable.

"I'm not worth it. All I'm doing is bringing trouble to you all. You shouldn't have to defend me."

"Of course you're worth it. You're my best friend. You're our family. Everyone is gonna do everything they can to keep you from being someone's science project back on earth. We have Elizabeth, Carson, and Radek helping us, not to mention Lorne, Cadman, Dr. Brown and Kusanagi. There are others too."

Teyla and Ronon nodded in agreement as they stepped towards him, relaxing slighlty, confident that he wouldn't try to jump again. "We will not let them take you Rodney."

It seemed like the message was finally getting through but Rodney still shook his head in disbelief, not wanting to get his hopes up. "Why? I'm not even human." He sat down, shoulders slumping.

The others joined him on the ground. Ronon shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, you're human enough."

* * *

"_Is everyone ready?"_

They all nodded but before they could leave the clearing that the plane was in, Francois stopped them. "Wait!" She blushed slightly under their combined attention, hugging a package to her chest. "I made these a while ago, just in case we ever needed them." She opened the package to reveal a set of black uniforms.

Silence met her statement and Francois held her breath. No one was quite sure what to say. The uniforms seemed to bring home the real reason they were all there. It wasn't just a reunion. After what seemed like an eternity to Francois but in actuality lasted no more than a few seconds, it was broken.

Surprisingly, it was Albert who spoke first. He gently pulled a uniform out of the package and held it up, studying it. It was much like their old ones but without the retro flare. The red and yellow were gone. The uniform was made of supple, yet strong, black leather with deep red inlays in places. "It's beautiful craftsmanship. Thank you." He met her surprised look and smiled slightly when the others took their own uniforms and went off to change.

As they gathered again, now in uniform, and started towards the Cheyenne Mountain base, Francois found herself walking next to Albert.

"Thank you."

Francois's words caused him to glance at her. "It wasn't a big deal. I should be thanking you."

"For what?"

"For earlier. You helped pull me out of my head."

Before she could reply, something caught her eye. She called out to the others. "We're coming up to the base perimeter. There's a sentry station and the motor pool is just past it."

"_That is to be expected. A base like this will have numerous checkpoints, even after we get inside." _001's brow creased. "_There is something interfering with my telepathy but I can sense a large number of minds in the complex. Our best chance would be to infiltrate the base at night when most people are gone. The sun sets in six hours. This gives us plenty of time to finalize our plan."_

They gathered closer as the final plans were laid.

* * *

007, also known as G.B., smiled as he drove the car the nice archeologist had so graciously let them borrow up to the sentry post. He rolled down the window as the car came to a stop.

The guard looked at him questioningly. "Can I help you?"

G.B. gave and embarrassed smile. "I left my work folder on my desk. I just wanted to grab it."

"I.D.?"

He handed over the plastic card, trying not to let his amusement show on his face as the guard scrutinized the picture, then him. There was no chance that he would realize the truth. 007 could change at the cellular level, making himself an exact replica of the archeologist that was currently sleeping soundly behind some bushes a few miles down the road.

He was handed back the I.D. as the gate opened. "Here ya go Dr. Rothman."

'Thanks." He allowed himself a smile as parked, heading to the access elevator into the base. '_Game on.' _

The first part of the plan all rested on him. It was his job to disable the security system. Francois had mapped out the layout of the upper levels of the base during their wait, so he knew roughly were the controls for surveillance were. The only problem was that Robert Rothman would be out of place anywhere other than the archeology department. He needed to find somewhere to shift before he could go on.

Unfortunately he didn't get far before he ran into someone.

**……..**

Daniel Jackson stifled a yawn as he walked through the halls toward the mess for more coffee. Usually he'd use the coffee maker in his office but it was unfortunately empty.

The corridors were empty except for the military personnel on the night shift and the few scientists that were burning the midnight oil like him. Due to this, he was surprised when he found himself lying on the floor after running into Dr. Rothman while turning a corner.

The other man offered a hand up, apologizing. "Sorry. I didn't see you there."

Daniel picked up his coffee mug. "Don't worry about it Robert. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you had headed home already."

Rothman shrugged sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Forgot something in my office."

Daniel nodded but something didn't seem right. This definitely looked like Rothman, but something about him was just a little skewed. He just couldn't put his finger on it. "Okay. I was just gonna get some coffee. Did you want to get some for the ride home? I was just translating that artifact brought back from P3X-872. It seems to be a slight variation of Mayan. I think you'd be interested."

Rothman hesitated, which seemed strange to Daniel. The Robert Rothman he knew would jump at the opportunity to see the artifact. "Sorry but I really got to get going." Daniel watched as he quickly headed down the opposite corridor, frowning. '_That isn't the way to his office.' _

Abandoning his search for coffee, Daniel instead, careful not to be seen, followed Rothman down the hall.

**…...**

Ducking into a restroom, G.B. quickly changed. He watched in the mirror as his face distorted from Rothman's to a bland one that would easily be forgotten. A buzz cut and fatigues finished off the ensemble.

He grinned. This was what he was born to do. He was an actor at heart and his cyborg modification took that to the next level. Quickly, he exited and head down the hall, easily finding the path to the surveillance room.

Daniel watched silently as someone came out of the restroom. He frowned, seeing that it wasn't Rothman but one of the military personnel.

He briefly checked the bathroom, but found it empty. Now truly worried, Daniel quickly made his way towards General Landry's office.

**……..**

Only one person was manning the station when 007 walked in. The corporal looked up when he spoke.

"I'm here to relieve you."

This earned a raised eyebrow. "Little early aren't you…" he glanced at 007's nametag. "…lieutenant Smith?"

"What are you complaining about, corporal?"

"Absolutely nothing, sir." He hurried out of the room, relieved to be receiving a break from the normally long hours of the SGC graveyard shift.

Sitting down, G.B. quickly sat and hacked into the system, easily shutting down the cameras throughout and outside the base. _'001, can you hear me?'_

He waited for a second, unsure if the telepath would be able to pick up his thoughts with whatever was interfering with his power.

"_We're on our way in."_

_**...**_

"003, can you see him anywhere."

Francois shook her head. "No, he's not in the first ten levels."

They split up, checking level after level but to no avail. The few personnel that they ran into were easily rendered unconscious but otherwise unhurt.

"_007, do you see 009 anywhere on the surveillance system?"_

'_No, but I'll keep looking.'_ G.B. was just starting to really sift through the system when everything went haywire. One by one, the screens fuzzed then blacked out. '_Uh, Ivan, we have a problem.'_

"_What's wrong?" _But there was no answer.

In the surveillance room, 007 was trying to reenter the system. Before he could do that or answer the question, a grim voice sounded behind him, accompanied by the noise of gun safeties releasing.

"I suggest you step away from the console, now."

* * *

**Continue? Please review.**

**A/N: **Bit of a cliffie, I know. please tell me what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Hello everyone! It's time for another chapter of Almost Human. Before we begin I'd like to make an announcement about my other fic 'Searching for Eden'. First off don't worry if you're reading it. I will finish, but, after some good advice, the death of my hardrive, and some thought, I decided to take it down until Almost Human is finished. If I do this, I will be able to devote more time to each fic and update faster. After this fic is done, I will repost SFE andbe able to make updates on that faster as well. Anyway... that's the only news update so on to the chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own stargate or cyborg009

* * *

**Almost Human**

**ch.5**

G.B. cursed silently as he turned slowly, raising his hands in the universal sign of surrender. In front of him, stood various soldiers led by a brown haired man and a man that could give 005 a run for his money height-wise and had a gold disc on his forehead. Also with the group, was the man he had run into earlier. A lead weight settled into his stomach as realization hit him. Somehow the man had figured him out.

The brown haired man, a colonel by the looks of it, stepped forward. His name plate read Mitchell. "Who are you?"

He tried to play cool, gesturing to his nametag. "Lieutenant Smith, sir."

"Nice try." This came from the blue-eyed man he had run into. "I saw you go into the restroom as one person and come out of it as another. Why don't you tell us who you really are? And what did you do to Robert Rothman?"

"Your friend is fine, just sleeping right now." G.B. didn't answer the other question though, taking time to assess the situation. Things seemed bleak for him considering the guns pointed at his chest, but there were also lots of nooks and crannies he could hide in if he shifted into something small, like a mouse. He calmed a little. He could easily shift and be gone before they knew what happened. The only thing to be worried about was how the others were gonna get out the base. He sent a questioning thought to 001.

Picking up his thoughts, Ivan answered. _"Just worry about getting yourself out. Everyone is supposed to meet in the clearing."_

'_What about 009?'_

"_003 and I are with 008 on one of the lowest levels and we still haven't seen a trace of him. I've picked through the minds of people we've come across, but none of them had any information. For now, just concentrate on getting out. We'll decide on our next course of action later."_

'_Gotcha.' _He smiled to himself. He'd get out, but not without having a little fun first.

Colonel Mitchell was becoming uneasy by his silence. He shifted slightly, belying his nervousness but his face stayed hard. "Answer the other question. Who are you?"

He let a slight smirk grace his features as he shifted. "But colonel, don't you know who I am?"

The man looked a little freaked. '_Of course,' _G.B. mused. '_who wouldn't be?' _He shifted again, this time looking towards the blue-eyed man. "What about you?"

**…….**

Anger rose up in Daniel, this man was mocking them despite the situation he was in, but that wasn't all. His curiosity was peaked. Who was this man? Was he from earth or did he somehow come through the stargate? If he was from Earth, how did he get like this?

At the moment, he was looking at a perfect copy of himself, voice and all.

While this was disturbing, it wasn't what scared him the most. On the radio he had heard reports of other groups saying that others were spotted in the hall. That was the worst thought. If this guy could take any form he wanted, then what could the others do?

He shared a look with Cam. They needed to wrap this up quickly.

They couldn't afford to have these people loose in the SGC.

**……..**

"Okay, the mirror trick is really starting to get on my nerves." The colonel growled. "I'm only gonna ask you one more time, who are you?"

007 smiled. It was time for the piece de resistance; his personal favorite then he'd get the hell out of there. "Alright, I'll tell you the truth." He let himself shift once more, taking the form of a suave, dark-haired man wearing a tuxedo. "The name's Bond, James Bond."

They barely had time to look shocked before he shifted one last time.

Gunshots were fired but the grey mouse was gone, crawling through the circuitry towards freedom.

* * *

Pyunma, known to a few as cyborg model 008, cursed as he ran down the corridor. Only a few minutes ago, he had been separated from Francois and Ivan. Originally, he was supposed to watch their backs while they searched for 009, but shortly after things with 007 went wrong, the three found themselves being hedged in by marines. Making a quick decision, he pushed 001 and 003 into the nearest supply closet, ignoring their protests, and ran down a different hallway. The security team, having seen him and not the other two, followed Pyunma instead.

He wasn't really worried about them. Francois could hold her own in a fight and Ivan was a force to be reckoned with in his own right. They would be able to find a way out without him.

He'd just have to find his own way.

Easier said than done. There were currently five of the goons following him at the moment and nowhere in sight where he could duck out of the way and wait for them to pass. If things kept going this way, he would have no other choice but to fight.

He wasn't really worried about that though. Even if his modifications were designed to make him an underwater weapon and he wasn't in his element, he wouldn't have a problem. Before becoming a cyborg, he had fought for his nation's freedom using guerrilla warfare. The skills served him well when they first fought their maker and they gave him an edge now.

Reaching a split in the hall, he took the left fork and stopped. It was a good spot for an ambush. There was a doorway close to the corner where the door was inlayed into the wall. It was the perfect place to stay lay in wait for the unsuspecting military men to run by.

His waiting was rewarded. The security team, assuming he had kept running, barreled around the corner. They didn't see him until it was too late. 008 lashed out with his fist, knocking the first man out before he knew what hit him. The second attempted to block but went down just as quickly. He was knocked in the back but wasn't fazed. Pyunma whirled around, slamming the third marine in the gut with his knee.

Unfortunately he didn't have time to knock out the remaining two before they drew their guns.

"Don't move."

Pyunma glared but, spotting movement behind the military men, slowly raised his hands in the air. "I would put your gun down if I were you."

This seemed to be funny to his captors. "And why, exactly, would we do that?"

But Pyunma didn't answer; instead a voice came from behind them. "Because, I'd be less inclined to hurt you if you weren't holding weapons." They barely had time to react before the two were out cold on the floor.

005 looked at the unconscious marines. "I am sorry, but you were in the way." Geronimo Jr. might not like violence but he wouldn't hesitate to protect those he considered his family.

"I'm sure they'll understand. Let's get the hell out of here." G-Jr. nodded and they ran off.

* * *

Sam kneeled down next to one of the unconscious men, checking vitals before tapping her radio. "My group and I found more of our men unconscious. They seem fine."

The general's voice responded in her ear. "Have you seen any signs of our intruders?"

Sam shook her head despite the fact that the gesture couldn't be seen. "No, but we've passed out zats and life-sign detectors from the armory and Sergeant Siler is fixing the surveillance system as we speak."

"Good, from what Colonel Mitchell said about the one they found, these people aren't to be trifled with. Knock them out but don't kill. We'll need to question them."

"Yes, sir." She turned to the group of military personnel behind her and formed them into teams, sending them off through the halls. She sighed after they all were gone. Things were rapidly escalating from bad to worse. She had been surprised and vaguely worried when she was radioed by the general and told the situation about the man in the security room but she was confident in their ability to handle the single intruder. When reports of his escape and sightings of others surfaced, the worry had fully developed into alarm. Needless to say, she stopped researching the device that SG-7 brought through the gate yesterday, barely registering that she had slipped it into her pocket instead of putting on the desk.

"You ready?" She turned to see the other members of SG-1, Cam and Daniel holding zats while Teal'c had his staff. Sam, gripping her own zat in one hand and a life signs detector in the other, nodded.

"Let's find them."

**…….**

Francois hesitantly stepped out of the supply closet, holding Ivan. She hadn't seen anyone through the walls but it didn't hurt to be careful. "We can't go back the way we came, but I think I saw an emergency access hatch."

She started down the corridor, listening and watching for more soldiers. She was met with silence but it didn't assuage her nervousness. The alarm had been raised and it was no secret that they were in the base, so they should have people coming after them.

The silence was maddening. All she could hear was the sound of her feet hitting the floor as she ran and a slight buzzing… '_oh crap'…_the buzzing! Now she knew what was bothering her. The buzzing hadn't been present when they were in the closet. It was the slight whirring sound of electronics that her sensitive ears could hear. The sound that was made by cell phones, computers, and…surveillance equipment. Her heart sank. "We have a problem. The cameras are back on." Now they wouldn't be able to hide their position. They wouldn't have to be seen to be found.

Suddenly a sound caught her attention. It was so soft, normal ears wouldn't have heard it. People were moving behind them, trying to catch them by surprise. 003 put on a burst of speed, trying to find an intersection where she could lose their pursuers.

"_003, ahead of us!"_

She could see them even as he called out a warning. Another group turned the corner at the end of the hall just as the one behind them arrived at the other end. They were effectively trapped. Francois pulled out the pistol she carried as the soldiers closed in, hoping it wouldn't be necessary. If Ivan couldn't deal with them, then she'd have no choice but to fight.

One of the teams held back deferring to the other. A brown haired man stepped forward, gripping a strange firearm in his hand.

"Drop the gun and come quietly. We promise not to hurt you."

Ivan locked eyes with the man, icy orbs gleaming with a supernatural light. _"I don't think so."_ Despite whatever was interfering with his telepathy, 001 invaded the colonel's mind. The man struggled but Ivan had decades of practice and wasn't about to be pushed out.

Memories from the man's life flashed in his mind. '_Get out of my head.' _He ignored the command, pushing harder to bury the man's consciousness.

In seconds, Colonel Mitchell was unconscious on the floor.

**……..**

"Cam!"

The rest of SG-1 moved to help their teammate, only to be stopped by a pistol being pointed at them ." The girl couldn't be older than nineteen or twenty, but she looked competent with the weapon despite her age. Her expression was grim.

"Don't move. I don't want to hurt you but I will if I have to."

Sam stared at the two unlikely intruders before her. "What did you do to him?"

Teal'c gripped his staff weapon tighter. "If there is any lasting damage you will regret it." The answer came from within their heads.

"_Your friend will be fine but if you don't want to meet the same fate, I suggest you let us leave."_ Sam stepped forward.

"We're not going to let you just walk out."

The child's eyes lit again. _"Remember, this was your choice." _Sam stiffened, preparing for the mental barrage but it never came. Instead, there was a cry of pain, not from her but from the telepath.

**……..**

"Ivan!"

Francois dropped her pistol in the attempt to keep a hold of Ivan when he suddenly convulsed in pain, clutching his head. Gone was the composed, in-control cyborg 001. In her arms was a pained child. She knew she was still in a bad position with enemy surrounding them, but Francois couldn't ignore her friend's suffering.

Hearing them approach, she looked up at the team in front of her, unknowingly repeating Sam's earlier statement. "What did you do to him?"

To her credit, the woman looked as surprised as Francois was. "I didn't…"

003 scrambled to regain her pistol, hurrying while they were still surprised by the turn of events. With Ivan out of the picture, she needed to get him to safety while she still had a chance.

Cold steel met her hand and she quickly raised the gun, but before she could shout a warning or threat, it was blasted out of her hand. She stared into the end of a staff weapon. Francois didn't bother to check behind her, she could hear the soldiers close in.

She gripped Ivan's unconscious form closer as she slowly stood. The blond woman stepped forward, closely followed by the large man with the gold disk on his head. The blue-eyed man was checking on the unconscious colonel.

Francois glared in defiance but remained silent as she was ushered down the corridor where she could only guess a cell was waiting.

All she could do was hope that the others were able to escape.

* * *

Albert reached the hall where the infirmary was located just in time to witness four marines rush out of the infirmary, followed by a large plume of fire. '_Chang.' _Fire was the trademark of 006. '_What is he still doing in there?' _It was Chang's job to check the infirmary for 009, but he should have been long gone by now. '_Must have run into trouble.'_

The marines caught sight of him but didn't have the time to raise their guns before he was upon them, easily knocking them out.

A head popped out of the doorway. 006 appraised the unconscious men, then Albert. "My thanks."

Albert didn't reply, simply nodding as they took off down the hall, but they didn't get far before seeing Pyunma and G-jr. running in the opposite direction. It didn't take long to find out why they were going in the wrong direction. Strange energy blasts hit the walls around 005 and 008 as they ran.

'_Shit.' _Albert cursed when Pyunma took a hit in the middle of the back, falling to the ground before he could yell out in pain. Barely slowing down, 005 bent down and scooped up Pyunma's limp body but he only traveled a few feet before another blast took him down.

Making a snap decision, Albert stopped, kneeling by the fallen bodies of his teammates. He saw 006 start to do the same, but shook his head in negation. "Get out of here and to the meeting spot."

"I can help." He breathed a small plume of fire in example.

"I know you can, but someone needs to get out of here. The exit is blocked. You'll have to make a new way out."

Chang wanted to argue more but there wasn't time. Instead, he headed the command and ran back towards the infirmary, looking for the perfect place for a new exit.

Albert spared a glance to make sure his friend was gone, but his attention was soon drawn back to soldiers, holding strange guns, that were barring down on him. There were ten in all, not great odds but he didn't have a choice.

It was too late to run and even if he wanted to, Albert knew he wouldn't be able to drag both G-jr. and Pyunma with him and leaving them just wasn't going to happen. There was no other option.

The assailants, seeing him, slowed their charge. He took a deep breath, steeling himself and raised his hand.

**………**

Daniel wasn't quite sure what to make of the scene.

The man kneeling over the two intruders they knocked out didn't have any visible weapon. Instead he held his right arm in front of him, pointing at them with all of his fingers. His ice-blue eyes narrowed in concentration under snow-white bangs.

For some reason this action and the man's confidence made Daniel nervous. The others though, didn't seem to share his attitude.

"Don't come any closer." The calmly stated command finally seemed to have the desired effect and Sam and the soldiers stopped about six feet away from the intruder.

Sam looked him over. "You're not in much of a position to make demands."

The man smirked. "You couldn't be more wrong." He pointed to the air next to her head. The next second a sharp bang was heard as a bullet flew past Sam to imbed itself in the wall. Daniel blanched. '_What are these people?' _His specialty might be linguistics and archeology but he knew enough physics to understand how much force was behind the bullet for it to travel that far into the wall.

"I don't carry a weapon because I am one." Daniel could hear the bitterness in his tone. "I will not hesitate to shoot. You will turn around and walk away, and then I will take my friends and leave."

"We can't let you do that."

The intruder sighed and reluctantly swung his arm to point at Daniel. "If you don't, I will shoot again. This time I won't be aiming for the wall."

Strangely, Daniel didn't feel afraid like he knew he should. He met the man's eyes. He could see the desperation, the concern for the unconscious men, and determination but he could also see self loathing and hate for what he was doing.

Sam raised her zat, glaring. "You'll be out before you can shoot."

"Do you really want to take that chance? Put the weapon down."

Daniel motioned for Sam to lower her weapon, seeing someone creeping down the hall behind the intruder. "Sam, put it down. He won't shoot me."

Sam opened her mouth to argue but caught sight of what Daniel saw. She slowly lowered the zat. "Fine." She tried to seem reluctant but something must have tipped the man off because he suddenly whipped around…

…just in time to come face to face with the business end of Teal'c's staff weapon.

**………**

'_No!' _

_Albert couldn't cry out as the blast hit him square on._

He would have wept if it was possible. He had failed them. He failed to protect Pyunma and Geronimo. His own reluctance and hesitation had cost them. All he could do now was hope that the others were able to escape.

_He hit the floor as dark oblivion swept over him._

**………_._**

Daniel watched as Teal'c lowered his staff weapon and carefully stepped around the now-unconscious man. The three remaining members of SG-1 gathered together as the security detail gathered the intruders.

"Thank you."

The jaffa inclined his head. "There is no need for thanks DanielJackson. I was trying to meet back with you after leaving Colonel Mitchell with the medics."

Sam glanced down the hall. "Did you see any others?"

"I did not, but I did come across something strange." Without preamble, Teal'c turned and made his way back towards the infirmary. Daniel and Sam had to hurry to keep up.

It only took a second to see what was wrong. Just a few feet from the infirmary, a five foot diameter tunnel travel into the earth surrounding the base and up to the surface.

Daniel ran his hands along one of the tunnel walls.

The walls were smooth, as if formed by fire.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Please review.**

**P.S**.- Don't worry Rodney and crew will be back next chapter.


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